Insurance Claims Help & ServicesFor Insurance Claim Disputes, Independent Appraiser, Insurance Appraisal Process, and Appraisal Umpire Services!

There are many things that can do damage to your homes like bugs, hail, strong winds, floods, mold, water, and fire. These things can ruin the value of your home and destroy it from the inside out or the outside in. They can cause rotting, warping, bowing, buckling, infestations, and more. You’ll want insurance that will cover many of these things so when your gets damaged by any one of these, you may make repairs and repair the problem. Do not think that just the kitchen and the bathroom can have damages to it. It can happen anywhere in your home like the basement, attic, roof, and many other places.

Bugs like termites and carpet beetles can do lots of damages to wood and to fabrics in your homes. Termites eat wood they cause holes that can literally cause your home to fall apart. Thousands or millions of homes get effect by them every year all over. That’s the reason it’s good to have insurance that will cover termite, carpet beetles, or even rodent damage. Termites and other insects are usually hidden and the damage will be done before you ever even know they are there. Rodents might be heard prior to them getting too bad, but they will chew things like wiring and can cause fires as well as spread germs and disease.

Water can damage a roof eventually especially when it is accompanied by high winds. It will loosen shingles and blow them away. Strong winds can blow off shutters and hurl things into your windows and break them. Heavy rain can cause flooding in your yard and it even gets into the home sometimes. When a home has been flooded, it will often develop mold as well.

When hail is big enough, it can knock a hole in the roof. You can get dents in the wood which can allow water to get in. If the hail comes down hard, it can knock off gutter from the side of your property damaging the wood around it. For those who have a metal roof like on a trailer it can leave pits in it, they may be little dents or very big ones.

Fire is one of the biggest causes of damage to a home. They can happen because of a multitude of causes. Sometimes they might be small and cause only minor damage and sometimes they will destroy the entire home. They might be started by accident, electrical problems, lightening storms, or fireplaces and heaters. Cooking mishaps make the perfect cause of home fires too.

Protecting your home from several things can be overwhelming, but manageable when you do a home inspection each year. A home inspection can help you spots signs of insect or rodent infestation. You might find spots where water is causing damage or something that’s a fire hazard and then repair it before the damage is great. If you have damage to your house and need help from an insurance appraisal umpire to file your insurance damage claim, contact Insurance Claims Group at www.insuranceclaimsgroup.com

As you may know, with severely high winds, we could end up with lots of damage to our home and increase insurance damage claims. These high winds will send almost anything blowing into almost anything else. It can send your lawn furniture through your windows on your home or even your car windows. It could send trees or tree limbs flying in all directions. These high winds can make it hard for motorists to drive with heavy air flow under their cars and trucks making travel difficult and dangerous. It will likewise make it hard for people to walk in these high winds.

With high winds and all of the tree limbs being blown down, these limbs could land on power lines, causing them to break and send sparks to anything close to them. These sparks could start a fire if they land on your home or even the dry leaves in your yard. These broken tree limbs would most likely come off dry, dead trees and then breaking the power lines will quickly burn as they hit the ground. This fire landing on something else will set that item on fire. If your grass is very dry, it will start to burn and close enough to set your home on fire and increase insurance damage claims.

Hurricanes and tornadoes also have severe high winds and these will cause all kinds of wind damage claims and insurance damage claims. This damage can be for miles in all directions. As these hurricanes and tornadoes don’t have to be right on top of your property to cause wind damage, you might not even be in their direct path, but you will feel the effects of it. If your home is in the direct path of a tornado or hurricane, it could completely destroy your home and send it everywhere. These high winds could send your vehicle into a tree several blocks away. People are surely at risk in addition to they can send you flying too. You might live, but you could be hurt really bad.

High winds that come with storms are many times accompanied by wet weather as well. Rains can become torrential and cause flooding in many instances. When rain is accompanied by high winds, the rain can come down hard and fast causing streams and other waterways to rise quickly. This is when there Is usually flash flood threats. You should keep close track of your television or radio when thunderstorms are expected so you will be ready in the event of flash flooding and the high winds.

(C) Joe Brennan is President and owner/operator of Insurance Claims Group, Inc., a national independent adjusting, appraisal, and umpiring firm. We will answer your claim questions FREE as part of our FREE Insurance Claim Consulting Service – Ph: 919-669-9111 . Insurance Claim Help and questions about Independent Appraiser Services is available by visiting Insurance Claims Group | Insurance Appraisal Services | Insurance Appraisal Process | Insurance Appraisal Umpire | Fire Insurance Claims

Unexpected events really do occur, in spite of our natural tendency to anticipate or prevent them. Dealing with damages caused by fire, water or tornadoes is one of those unpredictable incidents. Due to their foreseen nature, such events are the most alarming and destructive, both from a financial point of view and from a generally human one. Flooding, due to astronomically influenced phenomena such as high tides frequently coinciding with the occurrence of heavy rainfall, while fire damage mainly occurs in deadly combination of grease, open burner fire, water and electricity that causes heat combustion. In most cases, these incidents can be accidental, or involuntary, even premeditated.  Where Tornadoes are more unpredictable.

Unfortunately, once the damage is done, there is no turning back. Fire damage, water, flooding, and tornado damages are usually covered under most insurance policies. Some insurance companies give you the feeling of protection, but wen you need them the most, they fall short of providing the services and coverage you believed you had.  Many policyholders unfortunately find out too late that they are NOT… “In good hands,” there is NO… “Like a good neighbor,” and there is NOT… anyone “On your side.”

Many insurance companies have been know under estimate the damages associated with fire damage, flood damage, and tornado damage. This is know in the industry as “low-balling.”  It’s essential that a proper repair is carried out on your property, so all traces of damage associated with the insurance claim will be fixed.  You have paid to have all damages repaired by a professional contractor to a pre-loss condition. Many insurance companies will use engineers to “sister,” beams or trusses, using the “band-aid,” approach. Prior to the loss you did not have a repaired or sistered beam, you had a full, undamaged beam. The policy you purchased provides you with a repair to a pre-loos condition. Prior to the fire, flood, or tornado you did not have a band-aid… and you should be sure you do not have one after.

If you have suffered a fire damage claim, a water or flood claim, even tornado damage, you may find yourself fighting with your insurance company on the repairs. Your insurance policy can actually protect you via the Insurance Appraisal Clause. Get free information and insurance advice on how to use an independent appraiser to settle your insurance claim dispute by visiting Insurance Claims Group, Inc. or Insurance Appraisal Process .com

(C) Joe Brennan is President and owner/operator of Insurance Claims Group, Inc., a national independent adjusting, appraisal, and umpiring firm. We will answer your claim questions FREE as part of our FREE Insurance Claim Consulting Service – Ph: 919-669-9111 . Insurance Claim Help and questions about Independent Appraiser Services is available by visiting Insurance Claims Group | Insurance Appraisal Services | Insurance Appraisal Process | Insurance Appraisal Umpire | Fire Insurance Claims

Independent insurance appraisers provide an unbiased evaluation of claim damage based upon what the policy provides. Individuals and businesses purchase insurance policies to protect against monetary losses. In the event of a loss, policyholders submit claims, or requests for payment, seeking compensation for their loss. When a disagreement on the amount the repairs will cost arises; each party can hire an independent appraiser via he insurance appraisal clause.

Their main role is to investigate claims, negotiate settlements, and reach an agreement on the amount of loss. Some even investigate claims by interviewing the claimant and witnesses, consulting police and hospital records, and inspecting property damage to determine how much the company should pay for the loss. They may consult with other professionals, such as accountants, architects, construction workers, engineers, lawyers, and physicians, who can offer a more expert evaluation of a claim. The information gathered—including photographs and statements, either written, or recorded audio or video—is set down in a report that is then used to evaluate the claim.

When is the right time to hire an independent appraiser?

An independent appraiser is not needed until you actually have a dispute. Most of the time an independent appraiser is needed hen serious damages occur from fire, floods, earthquake,tornados, lightning strikes and hail.  If you want an independent opinion or are having problems collecting money on your loss, you can consult with an Independent Insurance Appraiser to determine if you should consider the appraisal process.

If you find your self in this unfortunate situation, Insurance Claims Group, Inc. provides a Free Insurance Claim Review.

(C) Joe Brennan is President and owner/operator of Insurance Claims Group, Inc., a national independent adjusting, appraisal, and umpiring firm. We will answer your claim questions FREE as part of our FREE Insurance Claim Consulting Service – Ph: 919-669-9111 . Insurance Claim Help and questions about Independent Appraiser Services is available by visiting Insurance Claims Group | Insurance Appraisal Services | Insurance Appraisal Process | Insurance Appraisal Umpire | Fire Insurance Claims

Home insurance covers a variety of things that can go wrong in a home.  A fire damage claim is one of them, that can cause tragedy by losing personal belongings that are irreplaceable.  When fire damage happens, there is often not just fire damage, but water damage caused by:

1. Fireman’s efforts to put out the fire by using fire hoses
2. Broken water pipes that burst from the high temperatures

Although the loss may be from fire damage, another side effect of the water damage is that a restoration crew may be needed to clean up the mold left afterwards.  Any time there is water damage, mold can and usually does occur as a side effect. Most mold can grow in less than 24 hours.  A restoration team then needs to come in an address any mold issues associated with the loss.

The restoration crew will set up a time to come to the location to assess the fire damage first.  They would include many things in this assessment, like what type of damage has been done by the fire and water and which areas will need to have mold cleaned.  Although this is not as simple as it seems, hiring the right crew should make it a very easy job.  A very complete site inspection should be done.

Once the inspection of site has been completed and repairs that need to be completed is recognized, the next thing to do would be to find the main source of the problem.  For example, the electrical or plumbing may have been of inferior quality, or just located too closely to the fire.  The restoration team would now proceed with repairs.

Once the assessment is completed, the team would need to move on to cleaning up the damage by the water first.  This includes:

1. Removing traces of toxic airborne particles by using air filtering and fogging techniques
2. Clearing trash and debris from un-salvageable items
3. Using a pump to get standing water out of the building

There could be a heavy mold buildup if the damage was extensive or a lot of time has passed before clean up.  There is a specific set of steps that go with the clean up process for mold.  These steps include:

1. Finding heavy moisture areas in the house and determine reason for moisture
2. Finding out if rooms have enough ventilation to control moisture levels
3. Determining levels of mold to find out how intensive of a treatment is required
4. Identifying the type of mold and levels of toxicity.

Some types of mold are very dangerous and can cause illness or death. Restoration and repair for water damage can be a very time consuming and tedious task, but having a proper team with experience will make you feel much more comfortable that the damages are being assessed properly.

If you have experienced a fire and are going through a fire damage claim, we can help you.

(C) Joe Brennan is President and owner/operator of Insurance Claims Group, Inc., a national independent adjusting, appraisal, and umpiring firm. We will answer your claim questions FREE as part of our FREE Insurance Claim Consulting Service – Ph: 919-669-9111 . Insurance Claim Help and questions about Independent Appraiser Services is available by visiting Insurance Claims Group | Insurance Appraisal Services | Insurance Appraisal Process | Insurance Appraisal Umpire | Fire Insurance Claims

Natural disasters can change the face of the world. Believe it or not, the strongest earthquake ever recorded in the United States was located in Missouri, not California. This earthquake was so powerful that it actually changed the Mississippi River’s course. We do not have the power to stop them from happening, but we can do a much better job preparing ourselves from the consequences and protect ourselves from an insurance claims dispute.

Every state that borders the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean, which is twenty states including Hawaii face hurricane threats on a yearly basis. The population of the United States continues to grow exponentially, and so does the threat of facing a catastrophe. Tornado, Hurricanes, Floods, and Earthquakes happen all over the United States.

Home values have decreased in some areas that have a lot of natural disasters. Most homeowners have a large amount of their money tied up in their homes. This puts them at huge risk with their finances. Recent natural disasters, such as Hurricanes Rita and Katrina showed us that we are not prepared for natural disasters.

There are many great ideas to help Americans prepare for these natural disasters, and national coalitions like protectingamerica.org advocate these. These organizations are made up of first responders as well as emergency management officials.

One basic solution to this is the emergency of privately funded, but sponsored by government funds for catastrophe. This money would accumulate before a disaster occurred, and is a combination of insurance premiums and government money. This way, the states can fund their own restoration from natural disasters. If property owners can’t be covered by one state, then the federal government would step in. Money would be designated for this one purpose, and could grow every year it wasn’t used.

Another solution includes training and strengthening first responders, better land use policies, and better building codes. A better solution is not going to happen overnight, so here is what you can do in the meantime to prepare yourself:

1. Familiarize yourself with your town’s disaster plans and come up with a family disaster plan.
2. Create an emergency supply kit that has plenty of nonperishable food, can opener, paper plates and utensils, lots of bottled water, first-aid kids, flashlight and radio, and plenty of batteries
3. Put everything important in water and fire proof containers; wills, insurance policies, passports, birth certificates, financial information, phone numbers, etc.
4. Create a video inventory of your personal property and keep as many receipts as possible.

As stated earlier, “We do not have the power to stop Natural Disaters from happening, but we can do a much better job preparing ourselves from the consequences and protect ourselves from an insurance claims dispute.

(C) Joe Brennan is President and owner/operator of Insurance Claims Group, Inc., a national independent adjusting, appraisal, and umpiring firm. We will answer your claim questions FREE as part of our FREE Insurance Claim Consulting Service – Ph: 919-669-9111 . Insurance Claim Help and questions about Independent Appraiser Services is available by visiting Insurance Claims Group | Insurance Appraisal Services | Insurance Appraisal Process | Insurance Appraisal Umpire | Fire Insurance Claims

An increasing number of insurance policyholders have found themselves involved deeply in an insurance dispute about claim damage. Insurance disputes can be financially devastating. A common feeling of most policyholders is that insurance companies are there to actually help them in times of need. Sometimes, that is completely true, however with larger claims, it can feel like you are being taken advantage of.

A house fire, tornado, tree through the roof, or busted pipe can cause large amounts of damage to a home and it’s belongings. People often feel reassured because they have homeowners insurance coverage or business owners insurance. That relief could be premature. Yes, your damages are covered by your insurance policy, but how much will your company pay versus what you have to pay out of pocket?

The policyholder often thinks that if they have been with a company for a number of years and never submitted claim, they will get a fair settlement. It should be that easy. You pay timely premiums, you find a good contractor and submit your claim properly, and it should be paid. However, larger claims dig deeper into the insurance company’s pockets. With more to pay out, any policyholders find out that they are NOT “in good hands,” the insurance company is NOT always “on your side,” and “like a good neighbor… there NOT always there.”

Everyone wants to believe that they will be taken care of in a time of need. That is not always true with more costly claims. These large claims become a huge, costly battle over what should and shouldn’t be replaced or repaired. Many insurance companies do wish to take care of their clients and give them a fair claim settlement for the needed repairs. Unfortunately, there are just as many companies who will do everything in their power to protect themselves financially… instead of protecting and taking care of their clients.

Not many policyholders are aware that there is a clause within their policy that protects them from insurance company greed. It’s called the insurance Appraisal Clause. The clause has a set process to settle insurance disputes that involve the “amount of loss.” If the two parties have two separate estimates and different opinions on how much money it will take to complete repairs or replacement, appraisal is the next step.

Appraisal settles disputes about damage to your home or property. If you suffer a natural disaster that destroys your home, the insurance company will send an adjuster. Disputes begin for many reasons. However, as an example, let’s say the adjuster estimates a fire damage claim at $300,000. Your contractor gives an estimate to repair the damage for $450,000. Obviously there is a dispute on the “amount of loss.” This results in a dispute between the two parties for both repairs and damages. An agreement can not be reached, as neither party is willing to budge. At that time, either party can demand appraisal in writing. Each party must appoint an Independent Appraiser to settle the insurance dispute.

For a more detailed breakdown of the Insurance Appraisal Process policyholders can educate themselves and obtain insurance dispute assistance from Insurance Claims Group.

(C) Joe Brennan is President and owner/operator of Insurance Claims Group, Inc., a national independent adjusting, appraisal, and umpiring firm. We will answer your claim questions FREE as part of our FREE Insurance Claim Consulting Service – Ph: 919-669-9111 . Insurance Claim Help and questions about Independent Appraiser Services is available by visiting Insurance Claims Group | Insurance Appraisal Services | Insurance Appraisal Process | Insurance Appraisal Umpire | Fire Insurance Claims

More and more policyholders have been finding themselves involved with an insurance dispute over their claim damage. A settlement dispute from an insurance claim can be devestating. Most people believe that their insurance company will be there to help them. In many cases that is 100% acurate. However, with larger, more complex, and more costly claims it can feel like you have your pants down around your ankles.

A large fire, water from a boken pipe, tornado, or tree on the house can cause severe, high dollar damages to a building and its contents. Policyholders immidiatley think, “Thank the lord we’re covered.” Well, not so fast. Sure, you have a policy, and you’re covered for the damages, but, how much will the insurance company pay compared to what the damages will cost to repair. Most policyholder’s often say, “I’ve been with this insurance company for 45-years and never once submitted a claim.” It should be simple, right? You’ve paid your bills all this time, you submit a bid from a reputable contractor, now the insurance company should pay it!

Hmmmm, more and more on larger, more costly claims, that begin to dig deep into the insurance companies bottom line, it doesn’t seem to be that easy. We’d like to believe that our insurance company will be there to take care of us in our time of need. However, many are not, especially with larger claims. Larger claims can become a battle over what should be replaced and what the insurance company believes can be saved and repaired. In my career as a claims professonal I have found that many insurance companies truly wish to take care of their policyholders and provide them with the maximum amount of money their policy will allow.

I’ve also found that there are just as many insurance companies that go out of their way to find ways not to pay policyholders all that they deserve on their claims. The Insurance Appraisal Process can be complicated unless you choose a competent, experienced appraiser that understands all aspects of the insurance appraisal clause, as well as all aspects of Insurance Appraisal Services. First, a brief overview of the insurance appraisal clause. Appraisal is a clause within most insurance policies that allows a process to settle insurance claim disputes. The claim disputes may be about damage to buildings or property.

Let’s say that a policyholder suffers a flood, fire, or tornado to their structure. The insurance company sends an adjuster who determines the damages to be $200,000. However, the policyholder has a contractor that has provided an estimate for $325,000. A dispute between the two parties has begun in both the cost of repairs and the scope of damages. An agreement on the costs cannot be reached. Either the insurance company or the policyholder now has the right to demand appraisal via written request. To resolve such disputes, each party must choose an insurance appraiser. Insurance Appraisal Services is what we do.

(C) Joe Brennan is President and owner/operator of Insurance Claims Group, Inc., a national independent adjusting, appraisal, and umpiring firm. We will answer your claim questions FREE as part of our FREE Insurance Claim Consulting Service – Ph: 919-669-9111 . Insurance Claim Help and questions about Independent Appraiser Services is available by visiting Insurance Claims Group | Insurance Appraisal Services | Insurance Appraisal Process | Insurance Appraisal Umpire | Fire Insurance Claims

The first step to our fire appraisal process is to obtain as much documentation that is available on the claim. We will collect a copy of the insurance company’s fire damage estimate(s), the policyholder’s fire damage estimate(s), as well as any other documentation that is available. We will vigorously review and inspect each estimate line-by-line for discrepancies.

The next step will be to inspect the property that has been damaged by the fire. A thorough inspection will be conducted, room by room, and piece by piece (or any remaining parts). As a Fire Damage Appraiser will conduct this inspection with the two different fire damage estimates that are being disputed. With these estimates in hand during our inspection we can determine if one estimate has missed items to be addressed and/or if the other is excessive.

Our inspection will include 50 to 300 photos (depending on the size of the fire loss and extent of fire damage). These photos will prove and support our findings. The photos will be taken in a manner that supports our position of whether items can be saved or will require replacement. The photos will also show cause and affect damages. Yes, the bricks on the exterior of a home or building may not appear to be damaged by the fire. However, if the sheathing/plywood behind the brick is smoked and damp – the bricks will require removal to access other repairs.

Some rooms or even an entire building may be fire damaged beyond recognition. In these cases we will conduct an interview process with the owners of the property to confirm room layouts, types of wall and floor finishes, electrical items, cabinetry, and more. This type of questions and answer session will paint a clear picture of the TRUE value of the damages the fire caused. The proper value of the claim depends on it’s accuracy.

All the data collected will then be programmed into the Xactimate estimating software. Xactimate configures and displays the data in the exact format that the insurance companies require. Line by line, piece by piece, the exact square feet of drywall, paint, wallpaper, and carpet will be calculated for a real and accurate cost to pay the claim. In fact, Xactimate is used by more than 70% of insurance companies.

Any items that are in question will be reviewed by our group of engineers, building inspectors, or contractors as additional documentation to support the true repairs. Foundations, brick, support beans, and electrical may require removal and may not meet current building codes. These professionals can advise on ways to keep these types of materials or why they will require replacement.

After all this has been completed we will meet with the other parties appraiser and discuss each others findings. In some cases an agreement cannot be reached between the two appraisers. In the event this happens, the two appraisers will submit their differences to the Appraisal Umpire.

(C) Joe Brennan is President and owner/operator of Insurance Claims Group, Inc., a national independent adjusting, appraisal, and umpiring firm. We will answer your claim questions FREE as part of our FREE Insurance Claim Consulting Service – Ph: 919-669-9111 . Insurance Claim Help and questions about Independent Appraiser Services is available by visiting Insurance Claims Group | Insurance Appraisal Services | Insurance Appraisal Process | Insurance Appraisal Umpire | Fire Insurance Claims

If your house is damaged or destroyed by fire, water, damage, or a tornado, what do you do? You call your insurance company to get it all straightened out, to file an insurance claim, and instead of answers you just get more confusion and headache.

The one thing that surprises a lot of people who submit a claim is the number of people who are involved with the process. There is the insurance adjuster, who looks over and approves repairs according to your policy. There is also the insurance agent who sold you the initial policy.

There is someone called a restoration contractor, who is essential in insurance claim help. This person’s job is to make sure your home is returned to it’s original condition, and that the job is done within the insurance company’s guidelines. Not every contractor is qualified for this, so make sure they have experience in insurance related repairs. If you still owe the bank for your house and have a mortgage, than that company will likely appoint a representative to make sure that your policy is restored for your insurance claim, because as long as they own it they have an interest in maintaining that property.

Some companies may require multiple estimates from a variety of companies. This is how they ensure they get the most cost effective price and aren’t getting ripped off. With that said, these companies do this on a regular basis and have regular contractors they work with who they trust. Sometimes, one phone call is all it takes to get a contractor.

Another factor to be aware of is depreciation. The value of property decreases over time due to normal wear and tear, as well as just becoming outdated. This could greatly affect your payout in some instances. That is not always the case, sometimes your home is at it’s full value when the incident happens.

Submitting an insurance claim is not a simple thing to do. I can get very complex for someone who hasn’t dealt with this before. Your independent insurance appraiser is a great resource to answer questions for you and provide information. If that is not the case, and if you have a substantial amount of damage, you may want to consider getting a claims assessor. They will make sure you get every dollar you deserve, and won’t allow insurance companies to treat you unfairly, they are also good as a neutral party to mediate.

Learn all that you can about your rights and unfamiliar real estate terms and you will be able to get the maximum benefits due to you and be able to get on your feet a little faster.

(C) Joe Brennan is President and owner/operator of Insurance Claims Group, Inc., a national independent adjusting, appraisal, and umpiring firm. We will answer your claim questions FREE as part of our FREE Insurance Claim Consulting Service – Ph: 919-669-9111 . Insurance Claim Help and questions about Independent Appraiser Services is available by visiting Insurance Claims Group | Insurance Appraisal Services | Insurance Appraisal Process | Insurance Appraisal Umpire | Fire Insurance Claims